Allyl alcohol is a widely used reactant in the production of glycerol as well as other organic chemicals (e.g., 1,4-butanediol). Conventional processes for the manufacture of allyl alcohol typically involve one of the following: (a) the alkaline hydrolysis of allyl chloride, (b) the oxidation of propylene to acrolein, followed by the reaction of the acrolein with a secondary alcohol to form allyl alcohol and a ketone, or (c) isomerization of propylene oxide using a lithium phosphate catalyst. None of these methods offer a direct one-step synthesis of allyl alcohol.
New methods of producing allyl alcohol that provide advantageous selectivity in a simple, inexpensive production process would be highly desirable.